If there’s one lesson from Halloween, at least as portrayed in the movies, it’s that whatever bad is happening, it’s happening behind you. There’s even the Biblical take on this concept with Lot’s wife being turned into a pillar of salt. Or in the Panto: ‘He/She/It is behind you’ is the classic refrain.

And if we turn round? If we check? If we turn on that light? If we look behind us? Well we stop everything. The story ends abruptly and the fun is over before it’s time. You kill the mood.

If any of you are about to undertake the NaNoWriMo challenge, or indeed if you are about to kick off writing your first novel (or you second or your third…) take this advice to heart.

DO NOT LOOK BACK

There will be plenty of time for revision later. However fantastic your first draft (and it won’t be: it will be rubbish) you will need to edit it, murder those babies and change pretty much everything. So why slow the process of getting the basic form of what will eventually be your beautifully sculptured words hacked into a workable shape by starting to polish the left earlobe too soon?

Revision, reading yesterday’s output, a swift check on a character’s detail – these are all temptations but they are turning you slowly into writerly salt.

LOOK FORWARD, NOT BACK AND STAY SWEET!

Good writing, people!

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About TanGental

My name is Geoff Le Pard. Once I was a lawyer; now I am a writer. I've published three books - Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle, My Father and Other Liars and Salisbury Square. In addition I published an anthology of short stories, Life, in a Grain of Sand this summer. A fourth book will be out soon. This started life as a novel in a week on this blog and will follow later this year.
I blog about all sorts at geofflepard.com and welcome all comments. These are my thoughts and no one else is to blame. If you want to nab anything I post, please acknowledge where it came from.

Now I just need to find my story… When I set my mind on wanting to write something then I automatically lack the good story. But when I don’t plan on writing and sit down anyways I can be amazed.
Thanks for the advice.

Reblogged this on beyondtheflow and commented:
Although I’m not doing the NaNoWriMo Challenge, I’m passing on this excellent advice from my English mate, especially after he barracked for Australia against the Kiwis. He must have a fondness for the underdog.

“Murder those babies”… What kind of advice is that? 😀
You’re so right and to be honest, it’s both worrying and a relief as I’ve found myself changing so much of my first draft I am scared I’ve lost the plot (literally and figuratively!)
Time to regroup my thoughts and you’ve inspired me to do so… so thanks! 🙂